


Terezi: Meddle

by AOrange



Series: Fruity Rumpus Afterlife Road Trip [13]
Category: Homestuck
Genre: Dream Bubbles, F/M, Meteorstuck
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-18
Updated: 2013-10-18
Packaged: 2017-12-29 19:33:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,188
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1009197
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AOrange/pseuds/AOrange
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>DAVE: bullshit rez he cant even do a backflip<br/>KARKAT: DON'T TELL ME WHAT I CAN AND CAN'T DO WITH MY LIMBS.</p><p>And there it is, you think with a smile, you've once again sown the seeds for a wake cycle full of entertainment. </p><p>It's become a game, goading Dave and Karkat into strifes with each other for the entertainment value. Until, that is, one particular fight ends with everyone dragged into a dream bubble while Karkat's still bleeding.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Terezi: Meddle

When other trolls used to ask what you were good at, back home, they never really expected you answer of 'seeing things'. You would follow up their blank faces with a cackling laugh to turn the whole thing into a joke, because why bother explaining? You would nod thoughtfully while they told you about all the ways in which you'd be culled when you came of age, let them think they had an advantage over the poor blind girl. 

Then you would trip them up with your cane; they never even saw it coming. 

You've always thought that irony tastes kind of like victory, rich and bright like orange creamsicles, but better. It's hard to find something more delicious than orange creamsicles. 

Seeing things was always what you did best and now, with the addition of your Seer of Mind abilities, you don't think there's anything you won't ever be able to see. Well, not literally. Sometimes, when you're distracted, you bump into the corner of a table, but that's nothing new because you did that even when you could see. But if someone was to ask you, right now, what you thought would happen if they tried to do a backflip off the arm of the couch, you'd be able to tell Dave six different outcomes, including one where he snaps his torso pillar.

Dave does not attempt the backflip and stays firmly planted on the couch itself. He rolls his eyes and insists that no, he won't break his spine - whatever that is - so you just roll your eyes back. You know he might not, but he might because it's a distinct possibility, especially if someone distracts him. 

But the chances of that happening, of his torso pillar being damaged beyond repair, are slim to none. It's a possibility, sure, but you can see the twelve other things that would need to happen simultaneously to create that outcome. Dave knows how to backflip off all the furniture, he spent an entire day last perigee proving that he could backflip off every raised surface on the meteor, including Rose's shoulders. 

But you don't tell him that. 

You tell him that it's very likely he'll end up in a four wheel device and you don't know if dying will heal that kind of injury. 

It's just not a good time to do a backflip.

Dave's eyebrows narrow. You've got him where you want him. 

However, you start slowly, blank eyes falling on the only other troll in the common room, it's a perfectly good time for Karkat to try backflipping off the couch if he wants. 

DAVE: bullshit rez he cant even do a backflip   
KARKAT: DON'T TELL ME WHAT I CAN AND CAN'T DO WITH MY LIMBS.

And there it is, you think with a smile, you've once again sown the seeds for a wake cycle full of entertainment. 

DAVE: i dont mean cant in the yo man im acting like your parental monster or some shit  
DAVE: i mean cant in the you actually cant do a backflip kind of way  
DAVE: like  
DAVE: even if you wanted to you couldnt pull off a backflip without fucking yourself up  
KARKAT: AND WHAT WOULD YOU KNOW ABOUT MY BACKFLIPPING ABILITIES? JUST BECAUSE I DON'T SPEND EVERY FUCKING MOMENT PERFORMING SHITTY ACROBATICS DOESN'T MEAN I'M NOT PHYSICALLY FUCKING CAPABLE.  
DAVE: do a backflip then  
KARKAT: NO.  
DAVE: you cant  
KARKAT: NO, I WON'T. THERE'S A DIFFERENCE YOU SHITMONGER.   
DAVE: so do a backflip  
DAVE: just a little one  
DAVE: like on the floor or whatever  
DAVE: im not expecting you to be on my level  
DAVE: not many people are  
KARKAT: I'M NOT A TRAINED FUCKING CIRCUS ROARBEAST, I'LL BACKFLIP IN MY OWN TIME AND NOT WHEN YOU TELL ME TO, STRIDER.   
DAVE: pussy  
KARKAT: SHUT THE FUCK UP.  
DAVE: make me asswipe  
KARKAT: I'LL MAKE YOU, ALRIGHT. STRIFE, NOW.  
DAVE: dude so you can make me shut the fuck up but i cant make you do a backflip  
DAVE: double fucking standards bro  
KARKAT: I SAID STRIFE, STRIDER. DRAW YOUR SHITTY WEAPON.

You don't know if you're just getting too good at this, or if they're both just really dumb and easy to manipulate, because you weren't expecting them to go from ignoring each other to a strife to the death in half a conversation. 

A series of noises follow in quick succession; Karkat's book hitting the floor, the whoosh of weapons being decaptchalogued, the rustling of the bean chair. Dave's weight shifts from beside you and then there's a clatter as broken sword meets sickle less than six feet from where you're sitting. 

It's always a gamble, getting them to fight like this, because neither of them is ever prepared to quit while they're ahead. If you wanted, you could look ahead and see how it goes, whether Karkat's decision to stand up and take the bait pays off for him, but you don't. You don't want to know how it ends until it ends. Where's the fun in that?

You lean forward, ever so slightly, on the edge of the couch and take a deep sniff. Dave's got the upper hand, but that won't last for long, it never does. Their attacks and wit are now evenly matched after months of this, but with one false step, when Dave misjudges the distance between his back foot and the armchair, your human matesprit crumples to the floor. 

Ten points to Karkat. It's not often he manages to back Dave into a corner.

Seconds later, Dave is on his feet again and poised to attack. Losing the edge has shaken him and although his expression is just an unreadable as ever, you can smell the tiny sweat droplets running down the back of his neck. You're so caught up in what the boys are doing that you don't notice the floral scent beside you until it speaks. 

ROSE: What's set them off this time? Did Karkat start going on and on about how he's technically our God again?   
TEREZI: 1 H4V3 NO 1D34  
TEREZI: TH3Y W3R3 JUST T4LK1NG 4BOUT B4CKFL1PS   
ROSE: Not again.   
TEREZI: Y3S 4G41N   
ROSE: Dave's not going to try the double flip off the coffee table again, is he?   
TEREZI: NOT R1GHT NOW H3S NOT  
TEREZI: TH3YR3 BOTH 4 L1TTL3 BUSY   
ROSE: I see. Is anyone in particular winning?   
TEREZI: 1 DONT TH1NK SO  
TEREZI: TH1S 1S MUCH MOR3 3NT3RT41N1NG TH4N T3L3V1S1ON   
ROSE: What?   
TEREZI: WH4T?

When Dave strikes, Karkat blocks. When the troll strikes, the human blocks. After what definitely doesn't seem like long enough, they're both exhausted and struggling to catch a breath and you are in no way complaining when Dave fails to block. Karkat smirks in triumph as blood bubbles to the surface, slowly beading on the pasty skin of Dave's forearm. Success. An interesting turn of events, anyway. You weren't expecting that so soon. 

Nor were you expecting Dave to suddenly take the offensive, pounce forward, and land a solid hit on Karkat's upper thigh. Bigger success. 

KARKAT: SHITFUCK!   
DAVE: hey  
DAVE: hey karkat  
DAVE: oh my god hey karkat  
DAVE: now you should backflip   
KARKAT: COULD YOU MAYBE SHUT THE FUCK UP AND GET SOME GAUZE OR SOMETHING?   
DAVE: dude its just a scratch   
KARKAT: IT'S MORE OF A GASH.   
DAVE: is it   
KARKAT: NO, WE HAVE A DEFENSE MECHANISM THAT INVOLVES SPILLING COPIOUS AMOUNTS OF OUR BLOOD FROM THE SMALLEST WOUNDS TO MAKE IT SEEM LIKE WE'RE MORE INJURED THAN WE REALLY ARE.   
ROSE: Actually, that sounds relatively logical as a defense mechan -   
KARKAT: I'M ACTUALLY BLEEDING TO FUCKING DEATH HERE.   
TEREZI: 4R3 YOU 3V3R

Bleeding to death might be an exaggeration but the room is slowly filling with the rich, sweet smell of mutant blood and it's not coming from Dave. Lalonde shifts from beside you, presumably because she knows there's never a stash of bandages far away, and she disappears over to the nutritional preparation block to collect the injury repair kit. 

Dave's laughing as Karkat hobbles over to the armchair, blood dripping down his jeans for all the world to see. You wonder if, six perigees ago, he would have culled himself right here and now for letting anyone see his blood like this, but these incidents have become so commonplace on your meteor that he's actually more focused on the pain. 

KARKAT: SHUT THE FUCK UP BEFORE I SEND KANAYA AFTER YOU.   
DAVE: omfg youre gonna tattle are you vantas  
DAVE: thats fuckin hilarious bro

Dave recaptchalogues his sword and drops back onto the couch beside you.

DAVE: i won   
KARKAT: NO, YOU'VE JUST TEMPORARILY DELAYED YOUR DEMISE.   
DAVE: so scared over here  
DAVE: im shaking in my cape   
TEREZI: YOU FLUK3D TH4T W1N   
DAVE: hey no fair  
DAVE: oh my god did you just lick my arm   
TEREZI: NO   
DAVE: youre still doing it you filthy liar  
DAVE: okay thats officially disgusting

He snatches his arm away but the scent of his blood trails back down, leaving you to taste it in the air. Or, by now, that could be Karkat since he's still bleeding out across from you. Rose returns to the common room, the sterile white smell of the injury kit all over her. You can sniff the antiseptics through the closed box and you know this will be good, because Karkat's going to need a lot of that shit on his wound, and you know for a fact just how much it stings. 

ROSE: Drop your pants, Vantas.   
KARKAT: GO FUCK YOURSELF, LALONDE.   
ROSE: Would you like me to fetch Kanaya to do this for you? Or perhaps Dave could do it himself, since he's probably rather adept at caring for sword-based injuries.   
KARKAT: IF STRIDER MOVES FROM THAT COUCH I'LL SUFFOCATE HIM IN HIS SLEEP. YOU HEAR THAT?   
DAVE: hey man  
DAVE: i aint in any mood to see you sans pants  
DAVE: besides im a bit fucking preoccupied over here

And he is, because you're still clawing at his raised arm, trying to force him to drop it back down to where you can more easily sniff at the already congealing blood. He pulls a disgusted face and then there's a hand on your face, somehow pushing you away despite the resistance of the plush sofa. 

You stop laughing when Kanaya clears her throat. 

DAVE: well shit you summoned trollmom  
DAVE: nice work tz   
TEREZI: 1F 4NYTH1NG YOU SUMMON3D H3R BY 4LMOST MURD3R1NG K4RK4T   
KANAYA: No One Summoned Me I Was Already On My Way Here When I Noticed Something Odd   
DAVE: odd how   
KANAYA: Im Not Sure But I Think It Might Be  
KANAYA: Oh Fuck It  
KANAYA: Rose Please Ensure You Are Holding The Injury Repair Kit   
KARKAT: NO, THIS IS NOT FUCKING HAPPENING. NOT NOW. NO.   
DAVE: dude you cant control paradox space  
DAVE: you know paradox space controls you

Before you can prepare yourself for the inevitably uncomfortable landing, you hit the floor. It's strange, but you recognise none of the smells that usually accompany a dream bubble jump. You sniff, highly suspicious of your new surroundings. Dave's still beside you, clutching your hand tightly. It won't be long before he realises and drops it instead because there are other people around and they might see. Karkat's bitching, Rose is trying to stop him from bitching, and Kanaya is somewhere near the two clearly doing her best not to step in. 

There's someone else, too. 

Highblood. 

Every fibre of your being is suddenly on alert. Not here, not now. You know you can sniff him out before any of the others see him so this one is all yours, he can't be hard to find. You let go of Dave's hand first as you stand, cane in your fist and ready to fight. 

Something's not right. 

Everyone else is still busy with Karkat, if by everyone you mean Kanaya and her alien girlfriend, because Dave is on his feet behind you, hissing questions in your ear. You shut him up with a raised hand. He doesn't protest. 

There. Now that you're focused you can hear the footsteps coming from the shadows, slow, heading toward you all. You can't go anywhere with Karkat as useless as a hoofbeast with a broken nub.

Then it hits you, what's wrong with the entire situation. 

You weren't thinking high enough. 

If you had been, had even considered the possibility, you would have realised what that annoying overtone in the air was. 

Salt. 

TEREZI: OH FUCK NO.   
DAVE: oh fuck no what  
DAVE: it cant be that bad were still on the meteor  
DAVE: arent we  
DAVE: im pretty sure this is the hallway right up near the lab   
TEREZI: 1T 1S  
TEREZI: BL4M3 K4N4Y4   
KANAYA: What For   
TEREZI: TH1S 1S PROB4BLY YOUR M3MORY  
TEREZI: 4ND YOU 4LL THOUGHT TH3 L4ST BUBBL3 W4S B4D   
ERIDAN: dammit kan i told you i wwas fine wwhy a you evven here again   
KARKAT: OH NO. NO. NOT THIS NOOKSTAIN. JUST LET ME BLEED OUT LALONDE, ANYTHING IS BETTER THAN BEING STUCK IN A DREAM BUBBLE WITH THIS ASSHOLE.   
ERIDAN: wwhat the fuck happened to you  
ERIDAN: wwho the fuck is this  
ERIDAN: these are the human kids howw the fuck did they evven get here   
KARKAT: OH MY GOD, SHUT UP. YOU'RE DEAD, ASSHOLE. WE'RE STUCK IN A DREAM BUBBLE WITH YOU AND FUCKING FUCK FUCK YOU LALONDE SHIT WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT???   
KANAYA: A Sterilising Agent  
KANAYA: Who Knows Where Daves Broken Sword Has Been   
DAVE: dont talk about my sword that way   
KANAYA: I Neglected To Call It Your Shitty Sword  
KANAYA: Would You Prefer That   
KARKAT: CAN WE ALL JUST SHUT UP AND FOCUS ON THE FACT I'M BLEEDING TO DEATH?   
ERIDAN: wwoww kar wway to be dramatic   
KARKAT: NO ONE ASKED YOU. NO ONE.   
DAVE: so im guessing this guy is a douchebag   
TEREZI: YOU H4V3 NO 1D34   
ERIDAN: an wwho the fuck do you think you are  
ERIDAN: some fuckin smartass alien wwhos got no idea wwhat hes talkin to   
DAVE: no i am one thousand percent aware im talking to a dickhead fish alien   
ERIDAN: wwatch your fuckin mouth   
DAVE: dude do you seriously think youre the queen of england or some shit   
ERIDAN: more fuckin royal than youll evver be   
DAVE: seriously   
TEREZI: UNFORTUN4T3LY   
DAVE: what   
KARKAT: EVERYONE SHUT THE FUCK UP. STRIDER, AMPORA. AMPORA, STRIDER. THERE'S ALSO LALONDE, MARYAM, PYROPE, AND POSSIBLY MAKARA. THERE. NOW THAT WE ALL KNOW EACH OTHER WE CAN JUST SIT SILENTLY IN THIS CORRIDOR AND WAIT FOR THE WHOLE SHITTY EXPERIENCE TO BE OVER.   
DAVE: i dont get it  
DAVE: so is he the queen of england or   
ERIDAN: you are seriously askin for it human  
ERIDAN: at least all a the trolls knoww wwhats proper protocol in this here situation   
DAVE: oh okay sorry your majesty

It hard to stifle a giggle when Dave does this stupid almost bow with his knees crossed so far that he almost falls over. 

DAVE: no but for serious here  
DAVE: whats up with fishface   
ERIDAN: is that howw you fuckin speak to royalty on your shitty human planet  
ERIDAN: is he serious kar  
ERIDAN: kar wwhat the fuck a you doin on the floor   
KARKAT: I'M JUST CASUALLY BLEEDING ALL OVER THE PLACE. I THOUGHT THINGS WERE GETTING TOO DULL SO I LET STRIDER SLICE MY LEG OPEN FOR SHITS AND FUCKING GIGGLES BECAUSE I THOUGHT HAVING LALONDE POUR DISINFECTANT OVER AN OPEN WOUND WOULD BE PREFERABLE OVER ANOTHER MIND NUMBING AFTERNOON OF ASSFUCKERY.   
ERIDAN: wwhatevver  
ERIDAN: the more important thing noww is why the fuck a you all evven here   
KANAYA: We Are Unfortunately Passing Through A Dream Bubble   
KANAYA: It Should Not Last Long And You Can Resume Your Afterlife In Peace Once We Pass Through   
ERIDAN: afterlife  
ERIDAN: the fuck   
KANAYA: You Are Dead  
KANAYA: In Fact It Was I Who Killed You  
KANAYA: Sorry  
KANAYA: Im Not Actually Sorry   
ERIDAN: thats great fuckin newws kan thanks for sharin that   
KARKAT: SO YOU BELIEVE HER WHEN SHE TELLS YOU THAT YOU'RE DEAD?   
ERIDAN: shes alwways been more direct in gettin to a point than you kar   
KARKAT: I TOLD YOU THAT YOU'RE DEAD. HOW IS THAT NOT GETTING TO THE FUCKING POI OH MY FUCKING GOD FUCK WHAT ARE YOU DOING LALONDE I NEED THAT FUCKING LIMB BECAUSE I HAVE NO PLANS TO EVER ROLL AROUND IN A FOUR WHEEL DEVICE.   
ROSE: Sorry. There was grit in the wound. Dave's shitty sword has probably been lying around in the thermal hull again.   
DAVE: dont be stupid rose  
DAVE: good swords go in the fridge not cheap broken peices of shit where the fuck were you raised  
DAVE: thats right the fucking woods  
DAVE: youve got no fucking sense of culture   
ERIDAN: not to break up this here gatherin a freaks an all   
ERIDAN: but wwhy am i dead   
KARKAT: YOU PISSED OFF KANAYA, SHE'S GOT A CHAINSAW. YOU DO THE CALCULATIONS.   
ERIDAN: wwell that explains a lot   
KARKAT: LIKE?   
ERIDAN: like wwhy i got this here gaping wound thats taken to bleedin through my shirt   
ROSE: That's not disgusting at all.   
ERIDAN: you aint seen nothin pink monkey

As funny as the entire situation is, you're finding it hard to convince yourself that it's probably for the best that the dream bubble popped up when it did. You'd had other plans for the afternoon and with the boys already at each others' throats - literally - it would have easily been one of the most entertaining afternoons since the rumpus block accidentally caught fire. 

Ampora has started sulking so if nothing else it's nice to see that the afterlife hasn't changed him at all. With no one to play into his dramatics he's slowly losing his shit and yeah, that's going to be pretty funny in itself when he snaps. Karkat is screaming about something but the scent of his candy red is fading as Rose tends to the injury, covering it with some kind of creamy gauze. 

DAVE: hey so  
DAVE: how long until you think well be outta here

He's standing beside you, hands in his pockets, elbow nudging your upper arm to get your attention. He nudges again, harder this time, because you're staring vacantly across at Kanaya and the subtle twitch of her fingers every time Eridan gives an obvious sigh. 

TEREZI: HUH?  
TEREZI: 1 H4V3 NO 1D34  
TEREZI: 1 D1D NOT S33 TH3 BUBBL3 TH1S T1M3  
TEREZI: 1 HOP3 1TS NOT TOO LONG B3C4US3 1 H4V3 TH1NGS TO DO   
DAVE: oh yeah like what  
DAVE: more scalemate trials  
DAVE: oh shit no the weather report over in can town  
DAVE: nah i got it  
DAVE: using your crazy mind powers to figure out which shit will have me attacking karkat in ten seconds flat   
TEREZI: WH4T   
DAVE: youve been doing it for a month  
DAVE: im not full on retarded you know

He whispers the last bit, leaning in a lot closer than you expected him to in a coridoor filled with the others, plus an Ampora. 

TEREZI: 1 N3V3R S41D YOU W3R3   
DAVE: but you thought it

There's nothing you can really say to that. You open your mouth to reply, but nothing appropriate comes to mind. He's not angry though, that's obvious. He's smug. It's rolling off him in waves. There's a strange knot in the pit of your digestion sac because he outsmarted you. You've always seen everything coming, but this, you didn't realise that as much as you'd been playing him, and to a lesser extent, Karkat, he's been doing the exact same thing. 

There it is, a subtle twitch that wouldn't pass as a smug grin on anyone else but him. But it's there, and you're pissed. 

You suppress as much of it as you can because part of you recognises that you should be proud of him for rising to the challenge. 

It takes a lot to outsmart a Pyrope at her own game. 

TEREZI: SO WHY D1D YOU GO 4LONG W1TH 1T?   
DAVE: rez have we been on the same intergalactic voyage of bullshittery lately  
DAVE: im bored as fuck  
DAVE: at least a strife is something to do  
DAVE: and as much as it pisses me off  
DAVE: vantas is actually a challenge most days

He pauses long enough nudge you again, but when you go for his hand he quickly slips it into his own pocket. Too quickly. You think he might have shifted the flow of time from your perspective but you'll never know for sure. He won't tell. 

DAVE: hey rose are we there yet  
DAVE: this is super interesting but when am i gonna need to know how to bandage an alien leg   
KARKAT: WHEN I SLASH YOU OPEN IN YOUR SLEEP IN RETALIATION FOR THIS.   
DAVE: dude i am a literal god  
DAVE: i dont need bandages

You giggle again, and Karkat glares in your direction, all malice, then pain when Rose accidentally tugs the gauze too tightly. 

ERIDAN: wwhats all a this talk about gods   
DAVE: oh yeah fishface  
DAVE: im totally a god   
KARKAT: OH SHUT THE FUCK UP. YOU MIGHT BE *A* GOD BUT THE FACT STILL REMAINS I'M *YOUR* GOD.   
DAVE: sucks to be mortal though   
ERIDAN: cant a guy evven die in peace around here   
KANAYA: Actually No  
KANAYA: While You Are The First Dead Eridan We Have Run Into No Doubt We Will See You Or Alternate Universe Eridans In The Future   
ERIDAN: i cant fuckin wwait for that one   
KANAYA: It Will Be A Pleasure Im Sure   
DAVE: oh snap maryam  
DAVE: you just schooled fishstick so hard  
DAVE: i think i just learnt advanced calc   
ROSE: Dave, shut up, would you?   
DAVE: jeez you think youd be more supportive of your girlfriend   
ERIDAN: her fuckin wwhat noww   
DAVE: oh man they are totally a thing   
KANAYA: Its Not Like That   
DAVE: it totally is   
ERIDAN: really kan  
ERIDAN: one of the humans  
ERIDAN: wwhy did that evver seem like a good idea  
ERIDAN: land dwwellin monkeys a got no business with the likes a jade bloods  
ERIDAN: talk about fillin your quadrants wwith sludge from the bottom a the proverbial barrel   
DAVE: okay now i see it vantas  
DAVE: i didnt at first  
DAVE: but you know what youre right  
DAVE: this guy isnt just some douchebag  
DAVE: hes an asshole   
ERIDAN: dont think i wwont cull you myself right here and noww   
KARKAT: OKAY, TIME THE FUCK OUT. EVERYONE TAKE THREE STEPS BACK AND LISTEN THE FUCK UP. WE DON'T KNOW HOW LONG WE'RE GOING TO BE STUCK IN THIS HALLWAY FOR AND I, FOR ONE, DON'T WANT TO LISTEN TO THIS INANE HOOFBEAST SHIT FOR THE NEXT THREE WAKE CYCLES. THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING IN THE INJURY REPAIR KIT TO NUMB THE NEAR UNBEARABLE PAIN FROM THIS GASH. NOW SIT DOWN, SHUT THE FUCK UP, AND JUST WAIT THIS BULLSHIT DREAM BUBBLE OUT.   
ERIDAN: wwoww nice to see you too kar   
KARKAT: YOU ESPECIALLY.   
ERIDAN: asshole   
KARKAT: THAT'S CAPTAIN ASSHOLE TO YOU. AS YOUR LEADER: SHUT THE FUCK UP, ERIDAN. SHUT THE FUCK UP IN GENERAL BEFORE YOU EVEN THINK ABOUT OPENING YOUR IGNORANCE TUNNEL, STRIDER, YES, THAT INCLUDES YOU.   
DAVE: i aint saying shit

Dave continues to not say shit for the next three hours. He sinks to the floor, spends some time on his phone, takes some photos of the two of you together, one of Rose and Karkat that even you have to admit is pretty good because neither of them are really looking at him. He even takes one of himself and Eridan and when you ask why, he says it's going in his 'photos of me with dead trolls' album. 

He is so weird. 

He's waking you up though and you don't even remember falling asleep. Your torso pillar feels stiff and you can't quite sniff out where you are because you've got a face full of Dave and can't smell anything except for him. He lifts you up from the floor and you take a minute to orientate yourself with your surroundings. There's no salt, that's the first thing you notice. No ocean breeze. That's got to be good. Dave, congealing blood on the floor, a hint of dorito. 

You're back in the rumpus block. 

You don't know what's going to happen next. You don't bother sorting through the possibilities because Dave's managed to slip between the cracks and flip everything upside down with his little stunt. He broke the system. He acted exactly like you expected him to, did everything according to the path that fate has laid for him, except as it turns out, he knew exactly what he was doing all along. 

You can't be pissed at that, no matter how hard you try. 

This time when he asks if you think he can do a backflip off the nutrition block counter and onto the table, you tell him that hell yeah you think he can. 

Turns out he can't. 

At least you know where to find the injury repair kit.


End file.
